Superliner Diner
Conductor
As of tonight 2/28/03, the number of commuter rail operations in the USA has dropped from 19 to 18. The Champlain Flyer has made its last run (for now) between Burlington and Charlotte, VT. Ridership never materialized on this line, which was intended as a means to mitigate the effects of a construction project on parallel U.S. 7. That project got delayed --- until this year, after the train has been cancelled. :angry:
It was a new administration in Montpelier that decided to kill off the train, as it just was not bringing in much revenue. Hopefully it can return, with the proposed extensions southward to Vergennes (and even Rutland to meet the Amtrak's Ethan Allen Express), and eastward to Essex Junction to meet Amtrak's Vermonter and serve a huge employer, IBM.
Its around-the-corner connection with the Lake Champlain Ferry to Port Kent, NY (and Amtrak's Adirondack) surely did not hurt. Had this train lived up to its potential and been extended to the above places, it potentially could have had connections (direct or indirect) with three different name Amtrak trains.
I'm glad I was able to get this trackage under my belt when the train was running.
It was a new administration in Montpelier that decided to kill off the train, as it just was not bringing in much revenue. Hopefully it can return, with the proposed extensions southward to Vergennes (and even Rutland to meet the Amtrak's Ethan Allen Express), and eastward to Essex Junction to meet Amtrak's Vermonter and serve a huge employer, IBM.
Its around-the-corner connection with the Lake Champlain Ferry to Port Kent, NY (and Amtrak's Adirondack) surely did not hurt. Had this train lived up to its potential and been extended to the above places, it potentially could have had connections (direct or indirect) with three different name Amtrak trains.
I'm glad I was able to get this trackage under my belt when the train was running.